It appears Rob Gronkowski had been toying with the idea of permanently hanging up his cleats long before the Patriots fell to the Eagles in Super Bowl LII.

The 28-year-old tight end, who has kept relatively mum on his future in New England, allegedly considered walking away from the game altogether last summer, according to NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran.

“He didn’t enjoy himself in 2017,” Curran said during an appearance Monday on “Boston Sports Tonight,” via NESN.com. “[Gronkowski] did not have a good time despite the fact his body was in a better situation than it’s been in a long time — ever maybe. Despite the fact that he’s one of the most dominant players at any skill position, it’s starting to wear on him physically, mentally, the atmosphere in New England.”

Gronkowski consulted Tom Brady’s fitness guru, the polarizing Alex Guerrero, last summer, utilizing the scrutinized TB12 method to transform himself ahead of the 2018 season. Curran claims the Pro Bowl tight end “butted heads” with coaches in regards to training.

“I don’t think that some of the principal players on this team were really happy with the atmosphere and the climate … they still need to have a hell of an air-clearing at Patriot Place to get these guys back,” Curran said.

“I’ll sit down in the next couple of weeks and see where I’m at,” Gronkowski said after the Super Bowl, not interested in elaborating.

Three weeks later, the retirement rumor mill doesn’t appear to be slowing down. On Saturday, the Patriots fan favorite made it clear, whether his future is in football or the WWE, he’s putting fate into his own hands.

“Forseee your own future, control your own temptations, and your destiny will be not just be reached, it will just be starting,” Gronkowski tweeted.